Share

The Agora

Greece in perspective with MacroPolis


Latest episode

  • 5. A year on from Tempe crash, trust fades as questions mount

    29:56
    In February 2023, a freight train and a train carrying dozens of passengers crashed in Tempe, central Greece, killing 57 people. A year on from Greece's deadliest train accident, many questions remain unanswered and doubts are growing about whether the truth will ever come to light regarding what caused the disaster.Opposition parties and relatives of the victims, many of whom were university students, feel that the Greek authorities are preventing a proper investigation into the incident, while also dodging their responsibility.In fact, an opinion poll (Alco) published just after this episode was recorded indicated that 77 pct of Greeks feel there is a cover-up going on, while just 11 pct think there is no question of political responsibility.Phoebe and Nick summarise what we know about the accident and its aftermath, while Nektaria Stamouli, Politico's Eastern Mediterranean correspondent and Kathimerini English Edition deputy editor, joins us on The Agora to discuss why there are such strong concerns about a cover-up and what implications this has.Useful linksTrauma (audio documentary) - IMEdDGreece rejected EU prosecutor’s call for action against 2 ex-ministers after rail crash - PoliticoA year after Greece’s worst train disaster, railway safety fears persist - Reuters

More episodes

View all episodes

  • 4. SYRIZA embraces the chaos

    44:07
    Five years ago SYRIZA was in power in Greece, but it is currently languishing in third place in the opinion polls and the nascent leadership of Stefanos Kasselakis is being constantly buffeted by internal disputes.In this episode, Phoebe Fronista and Nick Malkoutzis set out how the left-wing party ended up in this uncomfortable position. Nick also speaks to MacroPolis co-founder Yiannis Mouzakis and features editor Georgia Nakou about Kasselakis's unusual approach and the recent stormy party conference, which almost resulted in another leadership contest.Useful linksKassalekis goes from blank canvas to empty vessel, blowing open progressive space - MacroPolisThe modern left for progressive governance - LSE Hellenic ObservatoryGreece’s New Political Star Is a TikTok Creation - WiredHe’s Gone From Miami, to Celebrity, to Upending Greek Politics - New York TimesGreece’s main opposition party cracks up some more - Politico
  • 3. Triangulation: The shape of things to come in Greek politics

    17:30
    Phoebe Fronista and Nick Malkoutzis return after a prolonged absence to discuss what's behind Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis's political dominance in Greece and whether things are more complex than they look.Their discussion was prompted by a piece Nick wrote recently for The Agora on MacroPolis's website after listening to Mitsotakis speak at the World Economic Forum in Davos, where the Greek PM shed light on the political strategy that has helped his centre-right New Democracy party comfortably see off its opponents.As Nick and Phoebe discuss, this success cannot be separated from the Greek context because serious problems with the opposition, media and institutions have provided Mitsotakis with considerable assistance.Useful readingRule of Law and Media Freedom in Greece - European ParliamentStemming the Tide of Greek Media Freedom Decline - MFRRCorruption Perceptions Index (Greece) - Transparency InternationalA Greek form of Triangulation - MacroPolis
  • 2. A decade in Greece: Looking back on the last 10 years

    01:11:18
    This episode of The Agora involves a departure from our normal format as we mark 10 years since MacroPolis was launched.During that time, so much has happened in Greece: The debt crisis, political turmoil, social upheaval, the migration crisis, diplomatic breakthroughs and impasses, and natural disasters.So, with the help of 10 friends and colleagues, we looked back on their most memorable moments of the last decade in Greece.Thanks to Alexandra Voudouri, Georgia Nakou, Omaira Gill, Jens Bastian, Marcus Walker, Yiannis Palaiologos, Megan Greene, Joanna Kakissis, Nikos Skoutaris and Mariangela Paone for taking part in this episode and providing such a rich and diverse array of recollections.
  • 1. Life on Mount Pelion after Storm Daniel

    31:52
    Storm Daniel hit Greece in early September, leading to almost 20 deaths and widespread destruction, as well as recriminations about whether there had been sufficient warnings and anti-flood works.The villages and communities of Mount Pelion were among the worst affected by the extreme weather. Tourists and locals lost their lives, infrastructure was damaged, buildings were demolished and businesses had to close.To start of series 5 of The Agora, we spoke to Joel von Trapp, an American architect who has been living and working in Pelion for many years. Joel spoke to us about how the area, which is also a popular tourist destination, has been coping in the aftermath of the storm.
  • 10. Understanding Erdogan's foreign policy

    28:11
    For our final episode of the fourth series of The Agora, we take a look at what is happening just across the Aegean from Greece, where Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is back for a third term and already prompting questions about whether he is shifting his foreign policy.In the wake of the recent NATO summit, where he withdrew objections to Sweden joining the military alliance, but also seemed to gain concessions, especially in relation to the supply of F-16 jets from the USA, analysts are trying to work out what we can expect from the Turkish leader.This issue is very relevant to Greece as Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has indicated that he wants to engage in meaningful talks with Ankara, aiming to even settle longstanding disputes between the two neighbours.To get a better understanding of what Erdogan is thinking and how he is likely to operate, The Agora co-host Nick Malkoutzis spoke to Ilhan Uzgel, a former professor of International Relations at Ankara University and currently a foreign policy analyst and commentator in Turkey.
  • 9. Lost at sea: The Pylos shipwreck and its aftermath

    33:17
    On the night of June 14, a fishing boat called the Adriana, packed with hundreds of migrants who had paid traffickers to get them from Libya to Italy, sank in the deep waters of the Mediterranean, about 90 kilometers southwest of the town of Pylos in the Peloponnese.It was one of the worst tragedies of its kind ever witnessed in Greece and Europe. What makes the Pylos shipwreck such a standout case, though, is that it seems this tragedy could have been avoided.A series of reports by international and local media suggest that the Greek coast guard, and possibly the EU border agency, Frontex, could have done more to prevent so many people drowning.The Agora spoke to independent journalist Lydia Emmanouilidou, who has been covering the story, to find out what survivors told her and to discuss how and why the ship sank and what questions that has raised about how the authorities responded.We also hear from Valentina Brinis, a project manager at Open Arms, which is an NGO based in Barcelona that uses its own vessel to save migrants in distress in the Mediterranean.Useful readingEveryone Knew the Migrant Ship Was Doomed. No One Helped - The New York TimesGreek shipwreck: hi-tech investigation suggests coastguard responsible for sinking - The GuardianGreek coastguard 'pressured' disaster survivors to blame Egyptian men - BBC NewsItaly warned of dead children on migrant ship hours before it capsized - PoliticoGreece to the EU: Come help stop migrant boats before they get here - PoliticoMigrant crossings in Mediterranean leave thousands dead - Reuters